"I think one thing about New Hampshire, because of its ... first-in-the-nation status, is that the voters carefully examine the candidates, and so therefore, I think there is a lot of folks in New Hampshire that have not decided yet who they're going to be for because they want to hear their specifics.

"Many of them, as we know from previous primaries that I've been in, don't make up their minds until the last 24 hours," McCain told Foster's Monday during an interview in the canteen at Portsmouth's local Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

McCain predicted GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be back in New Hampshire soon to lay out, in detail, the specifics of his plan to boost economic growth. McCain said many independent voters will cast a ballot based on economic health, and whether they believe Obama will deliver them success over the length of another four-year term.

"I think that redounds to Romney's favor," he said.

Romney has faced scrutiny over his foreign policy acumen during the campaign, and part of McCain's task on the road in New Hampshire Monday was to ensure local veterans were on board with the Republican ticket.

McCain has proven popular in the Granite State in the past, and with a record of military service in his background, and a position on the Senate Armed Services Committee, McCain was hoping to engage local veterans for support this week.

McCain compared Romney's instincts on foreign policy with those of Ronald Reagan, and downplayed Obama's knowledge of global affairs before taking office.

He said in the end, most voters will be voting on jobs and the economy in 2012.

"There are elements in both parties that are — that social issues and other issues are more important — but the vast majority of Americans, particularly in these hard economic times, are basing their votes on jobs and the economy," he said.

"In 2010, Republicans won significant victories," he continued. "The Tea Party played a significant role there. Now, I don't know how much impact the Tea Partiers will have in this election, but I think that ... this election will be decided by the independent voter, rather than Tea Partiers or Occupiers or whatever group in both parties."